DESCRIPTION/FUNCTION

• Lycopene is a member of the carotenoid family. (Other commonly supplemented carotenoids include beta-carotene, lutein, and zeaxanthin). It forms the red pigment found in tomatoes, watermelon, papaya, guava, paprika, and pink grapefruit.

DRI (RDA or AI for Adults)

• None.

MAJOR SOURCES

• Cooked tomato products (sauce, paste, powder, ketchup) are the best food sources, since cooking makes lycopene more bioavailable. Other sources are watermelon, pink grapefruit, paprika, and guava.

MAINTENANCE/THERAPEUTIC RANGE

• 3 mg to 20 mg.

POSSIBLE THERAPEUTIC APPLICATIONS

• Asthma
• Cancer (breast, lung, ovarian, prostate)
• Coronary heart disease

COMMENTS

• Lycopene seems to have the strongest antioxidant properties of all the carotenoids studied to date.

CAUTIONS

• None known.